This paper seeks to quantify the magnitude of caesarean sections in Mexican public health-care institutions in recent years, to characterize the evolution of caesarean section rates (CSR) during the last decade, and to estimate the possible economic cost caused by the excess of caesareans performed in these institutions. The study is based on data obtained from the health sector, both for Mexico in the 5-year period 1993-97 and for the Mexican State of Jalisco between 1983 and 1998. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate time series, and "excess of caesareans" was considered the number of caesarean deliveries performed above the admissible 15% CSR. The results reflect that on the national level, more than one-quarter of the deliveries handled by public institutions ended in caesarean section for each analyzed year, and if the deliveries performed in private institutions are included, the national rate is around 30%. A marked increase in CSR can be observed in Jalisco between 1983 and 1998 (almost 50%); and the cost for the nation of this CSR excess in financial terms is highly significant: several millions of dollars--obtained from public funds--are spent annually and unnecessarily by health services. The findings suggest that the increase in CSR is a public health problem that has not been satisfactorily faced by the health sector authorities. Many unnecessary caesareans would undoubtedly be avoided if the policies of these public health-care institutions were to consider, as a priority, both the known higher risk implicit in a caesarean for the health of the mother and child, and the economic impact on the country and its health institutions of the excessive number of caesareans performed yearly.

The purpose of this study was to up-date the records concerning oral clefts (OCs) encountered at the Child Hospital of the Maternal Infantile Institute of the State of México, and to examine the association of predisposing factors. A retrospective study of the medical records of patients generated over a 5-year period was carried out. A total of 835 files were reviewed, representing 504 boys and 331 girls. The studied variables were the type of oral clefts and predisposing factors. Kendal correlations at P < or = 0.05 and chi-squared at P < or = 0.05 were used to find any associations between variables. The distribution of oral cleft was: cleft lip and palate (CLP) 70%, cleft palate (CP) 21%, cleft lip (CL) 8%, separate cleft lip and cleft palate 1%. The sex ratios were 1.7 for CLP, 1.7 for CL, and 1 for CP. Municipalities with ethnic groups as well as industrial, agricultural and pottery activities showed a high rate of prevalence. Although there was no significant association with birth weight, familial history of clefting, consanguinity, medication usage during pregnancy, or paternal occupational risk, the results suggested that the most severe clefts were proportionally related to these factors. A significant association with maternal and paternal age, abortion rate, and parity was found. Additionally, maternal agricultural activities suggested that pesticide exposure might be a factor.

Mortalidad por homicidios en México: tendencias, variaciones socio-geográficas y factores asociados

RESUMENObjetivo Determinar la relación existente entre exclusión social e inequidad en salud a nivel estatal y municipal en México en años recientes. Métodos Se calcularon tasas estandarizadas de mortalidad relacionadas con enfermedades trasmisibles en la infancia, el embarazo y el parto así como producto de causas que podrían considerarse potencialmente evitables; estas tasas se calcularon por estados, por estados agrupados en cuartiles según nivel de marginación y por municipios agrupados según grado de marginación. Para medir la inequidad, se utilizaron indicadores como la razón de tasa, el coeficiente de Gini y el índice de inequidades en salud (INIQUIS) Resultados Se observa un claro exceso de mortalidad en los Estados agrupados en el Cuartil IV (mayor marginación) en relación con el Cuartil I (menor marginación) y a la inversa, los recursos y servicios disponibles en el Cuartil I son mayores que los existentes en el Cuartil IV. El Coeficiente de Gini alcanza su valor más alto en la tasa de mortalidad por anemias nutricionales (0,44). El exceso de mortalidad es evidente en los municipios considerados como de muy alta marginación; el INIQUIS más elevado se observa en los Estados ubicados en el Cuartil IV, sobre todo Chiapas, Oaxaca y Guerrero. Conclusiones Existe en México una notoria inequidad en salud, asociada a los altos niveles de exclusión social; para modificar esta situación se necesitan profundos cambios estructurales que impulsen el desarrollo social, y permitan reducir las desventajas injustas a las que están expuestos importantes núcleos poblacionales del país.Palabras Clave: Inequidad en salud, marginación, mortalidad, México (fuente: DeCS, BIREME). 15Rev. salud pública. 10 sup (1): [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] 2008

The prevalence of MIH in a group of Mexican schoolchildren was 15.8%. Medical conditions in the first years of life were more prevalent in children affected by MIH.